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Bharti

Soon to be commissioned 'Bharti' will be third research station of India in Antarctica.The new station is located almost 3,000 kilometre away from the existing 'Maitri' station which has been serving the nation since its inception in 1988-89.

The proposed location is of interest on account of scientific and logistic reasons, ice-free terrain and easy access from the sea.This area, including the islands and promontories offers an excellent scope for extensive studies on geological structures and tectonics with special reference to Gondwanaland, palaeoclimatology, solid earth geophysics, space-weather and meteorology, oceanography, marine biology, microbiology, environmental science.

As per the comprehensive environmental evaluation (CEE), minor and transitory impacts on the Antarctic environment are likely due to construction of the ambitious project. Although 'more than minor and transitory impacts on the Antarctic environment' are expected due to construction, but the impacts are expected to be minimised with the proper mitigation measures like use of combined heat and power (CHP) concept for heating the station and the renewable energy sources, low sulphur fossil fuel, optimisation of vehicle movement, efficient treatment of effluents, bringing back hazardous and sanitary wastes to mainland for disposal.

India had in the past established Dakshin Gangotri (1983) and Maitri (1988-89) stations in Antarctica. The former has since been decommissioned after it got buried under the ice and has been marked as an historic site.